Elder James Foster was born July 9, 1921, in Little Rock, Arkansas, the second child of Joseph and Dora Mae Foster. At the age of 18 months, he moved to Kansas City, Missouri, with his family where he was reared as a boy. He was reared as a Catholic and attended Catholic School. He often spoke of how he served as an altar boy and helped serve mass many times.

He enlisted in the Army in 1940, and served for 3 years. While in the Army he married Gloria Davis in Kansas City, Kansas. To this union were born five sons two of which preceeded him in death, and four daughters. On June 29, 1948, he was baptized in Jesus' name, twenty days after his wife's Baptism and received the Holy Ghost. He was saved under the Pastorate of Lula I. Hornbeak, in Kansas City, where he served faithfully. It was from this church that Elder Foster preached his first sermon, and it was here that God in his infinate wisdom and knowledge saw fit to allow Pastor Foster to preach his last.

In 1952, Elder Foster heard the call of the Lord Jesus, and moved to Omaha, where he had his first experience as a Pastor. His first church was a store-front at 24th and Cuming St. later he moved to North 28th Avenue. Sometime after that he moved to another store-front at 20th and Lake St. In 1955, he was lead by the Lord to a small rundown church building at 2316 N. 25 St.

The Lord continued to bless souls to be saved under Elder Foster's ministry and he, having the vision of the Lord before him, enlarged and remoldled this church. As the Lord continued to work through Pastor Foster and souls continued to be added to the church, Elder Foster had a desire to build a temple for God's people. In 1970, Elder Foster broke ground, and started the construction crew to work on the new temple.

On May 13, 1972, District Elder James Foster was called from labor to reward by our great God, the Lord Jesus Christ. He was attending the anniversary services at Pentecostal Assembly Church in Kansas City, Kansas with his pastor, Sister Lula Hornbeak. On that Saturday night Elder Foster stepped to the rostrom in his usual manner, and began his first discourse. His thought was "the seven orders of the first resurrection", God allowed him to deliver his message beautifully, and then as the congregation of about 300, looked on Elder Foster finished his course and went on the be with the Lord. Elder Foster died in the place he loved best, in the pulpit preaching the word of God. Audio Recordings of Elder James Foster are available in our Audio Library.